Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 1, 1 January 1994 — Ka nūhou mai Alu Like [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka nūhou mai Alu Like

A lews jrom Alu Like

(presented by Ka Wai Ola O OHA and Alu Like as a public service)

iALU LIKE

Computer training program helps Hawaiians get on career track

Try to get an office job without computer knowledge these days and you'll probably be handed a vacuum cleaner: honorable work but without mueh future. Alu Like's Hawai'i Computer Training Program is aware of this and helps Hawaiians learn, not only the ins and outs of the computer world. but also valuable on-the-job skills. "We assist people who want the benefits of a 9 to 5 job but have no marketable skills," says program director Diane Halpin. "Some of these individuals may have worked in the lbod or tourist industries and would like to move into jobs that offer more opportunity for growth." The computer training program is a joint venture between Alu Like, ine. and IBM. It offers an introduction to eomputers and provides training in a wide variety of IBM-compati-ble programs including WordPerfect, Lotus, and DBase. The program has a course in typing, and a "readiness and retention class" that helps stu-

dents put together resumes and prepare for interviews. They also teach valuable eommunication skills. Halpin explains, "We did a survey of employers and we asked them what they would like to see their employees receive more training in. Virtually all of them said oral eommunieahon." Program directors and teachers have discovered that a lot of Hawaiian students find the principles and ideas taught in the course foreign and hard to

relate to and are afraid that by adopting them they will lose some of their Hawaiian heritage. To help offset these fears, the program brings in individuals from the Hawaiian eommunity who have successfully adopted Westem business practices but have retained the good qualities of their own culture. They also begin every course with a ho'olauna session carried out by OHA's kupuna team and have lectures on cultural practices such as ho'oponopono and lomilomi. Eaeh computer course is 15 weeks long. Students are

required to be in class from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. with a 45minute luneh break. Lateness is not tolerated. "This course is not for folks who want to fool around. We push the students hard," Halpin says. Despite the hard work, the computer program has a high retention rate for Hawaiian students compared to other post-high-school education facilities. And through its placement program most of its graduates are able to find work when the course is finished. The program accepts individuals of all ages and nationalities, although on average 97 percent of students are Hawaiian. Students must have a

high-school diploma and pass an entrance test to be enrolled. Tuition is free but nonHawaiians must be sponsored by an agency such as Work Hawai'i, the J.O.B.S program, or the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Alu Like's computer training program is funded by Alu Like's Native Hawaiian Vocational Education Program whieh gets its support from the Department of Education. It receives technical support from IBM and works closely with a number of businesses, both to find work for its students and to get feedback from companies on what kinds of skills they are looking for in their employees. Halpin explains, "People who

really love us are the temp agencies. It's funny but some companies won't eome to us for workers and go to agencies like Snelling. Snelling then turns to us to supply the worker." The computer program is guided by a steering committee made up of community leaders. These include representatives from IBM, James Campbell Estate, Bank of Hawaii, Kamehameha Schools, Alu Like, HMSA, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. For information about Alu Like's Computer Training Program eall 532-3655.

Honoluiu Cellular TeIephone Company Receives Community Award Alu Like's Hawai'i Computer Training Center executive steering committee recognized the Honolulu Cellular Telephone Company last month for its service to the community. Honolulu Cellular has helped the community through its support of students at the Hawai'i Computer Training Center, participating in student activities and the voluntary intemship program. providing voluntary training. and hiring graduates from the center. The awards were presented at the commencement ceremonies for Class 19.

Students at Alu Llke's Computer Training Program: learning marketable skills.